Here is a press release from the UConn Huskies about tonight’s awards given at the football banquet:

STORRS, Conn. (December 15, 2008) — The University of Connecticut football team held its annual awards ceremony at a team dinner on Monday night at The Burton Family Football Complex.

The team’s Most Valuable Player Award was given to junior running back Donald Brown (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.). Brown was also named the 2008 BIG EAST Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was named a Second Team All-American from the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Brown was also named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year at the Monday night ceremony. Brown rushed for 1,822 yards and 17 touchdowns during the regular season and has been atop the national leader board in rushing yards (151.8 yards per game) for the majority of the year. He ran for at least 100 yards in 10 games.

The Defensive Player of the Year Award went to senior defensive lineman Cody Brown (Coral Springs, Fla.). Brown was second in the BIG EAST in sacks per game at 0.83 per contest and was also second in the league in tackles for a loss. He made a total of 50 tackles on the season.

Redshirt freshman Robby Frey (Lehighton, Pa.) was named UConn’s Special Teams Player of the Year. Frey saw considerable time at kickoff return duties for UConn and had 13 returns for 276 yards this year.

The Joseph M. Giannelli Unsung Hero Award was split between senior offensive tackle Will Beatty (York, Pa.) and senior safety Dahna Deleston (East Hartford, Conn.). The award is presented to a UConn football player, selected by the coaches, who best displays effort, dedication and steady performance without notice and acclaim, making a significant, but perhaps hidden, contribution to the program.

The John L. Toner Scholar Athlete Award was presented to senior center Keith Gray (Allen, Texas). Gray is a mathematics and actuarial science major and wins the award named after the former UConn athletic director and football coach and NCAA President.

The Football Alumni Award went to senior quarterback Tyler Lorenzen (Fremont, Iowa) and senior tight end Steve Brouse (Selingsgrove, Pa.). The honor is bestowed upon the Husky who best exhibits leadership and dedication and is viewed as the ultimate team player. Both of these players began the year in starting positions, missed time due to injuries and have now recovered to return to the Husky starting. 11.

The Kendall Madison Award was given to senior safety Darius Butler (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) — who was recognized for being a “strong team player whose dedication, hard work and outstanding citizenship best exemplify the strong spirit of the UConn Huskies.” The award is named for the former Husky who was tragically killed in the mid 1990s while being a good samaritan in his attempt to break up an altercation. Butler made 37 tackles on the season with four pass break-ups and also saw time on the other side of the ball as a receiver for the Huskies. His regular season was cut short as he missed the final two games of the season due to injury.

The Brian Kozlowski Award went to senior defensive tackle Julius Williams (Decatur, Ga.) for being courageous, hard working and productive. The award is named for the former Husky tight end, later a 13-year NFL veteran, who through relentless hard work, effort and dedication was able to have a lengthy NFL career.

While the roster for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic hasn’t been announced, it’s being reported that AL MVP and Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will be a member of Team USA according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has confirmed that he has accepted an invitation to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

While the WBC may be fun to watch for some, you have to hope, like the article says, that these players avoid injuries. God forbid Pedroia gets hurt (knocks on wood) and the Red Sox lose him for the 2009 season.

According to a report on ESPN’s ticker, UConn Huskies running back Donald Brown will be returning for his senior season in Storrs.

During Randy Edsall’s weekly session with the media, he made the following statement:

I’ve already told him I don’t want him to go,” Edsall said with a smile. The coach knows the reality, however, and won’t stop Brown if everything looks too good. “It might be too good to pass up,” Edsall said

Guess who's coming back? Tell a friend.

Apparently a short time after, Brown made the decision to stay at UConn. He had previously said his goal was to get to a BCS Bowl game while at UConn and now he will have one last chance to do so next year.

“If I need my parents’ help or advice, they’ll give it to me,” Brown said today. “Right now it’s my decision and I don’t see anything changing with where I am on it.”

“Well, then, hopefully the opportunity will be there next year, too,” Brown said. “I want to go to the Orange Bowl. And I think we can get it done next year. I really do.”

While the Huskies will suffer some key losses, having Brown back will be huge for their prospects of actually getting to a bowl game. And if the quarterback situation improves next year (nothing against Tyler Lorenzen by the way), it could make his job easier.

Brown finished up his junior season as the nation’s leading rusher with 1,822 yards. Next up for Brown and the Huskies is a date with the Buffalo Bulls on January 3, 2009 in the International Bowl in Toronto.

Mark Teixeira: Michael Silverman reports that the Boston Red Sox could make an offer of 8 years, $145-$175 million to Mark Teixeira. [Boston Herald]

Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will look to lead Japan to a second straight WBC title.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was among the 7 MLB players that were named to the Japan’s 34-man preliminary roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Joining him on the roster are Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners), Kenji Johjima (Seattle Mariners), Hiroki Kuroda (LA Dodgers), Akinori Iwamura (Tampa Bay Rays), Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago Cubs) and free agent pitcher Takashi Saito.

Japan will look to defend it’s crown as they won the inaugural WBC back in 2006. They will open their defense on March 5th in Tokyo.

Matsuzaka was the MVP of the WBC back in 2006. In three starts, he was 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA.

It’s game day for the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team as they return from their final exams break to take on Stony Brook at the XL Center in Hartford. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM and the game will be broadcast locally on My-TV9 and in the New York area on SNY.

Tonight’s game will feature the return of Stanley Robinson to the Huskies who went through his first practice with the team yesterday.

Jeff Adrien sprained his ankle in practice on Saturday and will probably see limited time in tonight’s game.

The UConn men are ready to get back on track after the final exams break.

Ater Majok won’t be in uniform tonight because he’s not been cleared by the NCAA yet.

David Gillett has a look at Hasheem Thabeet’s ESPN the Magazine photo shoot.

Cassie Kerns is the second UConn women’s player to come down with mononucleosis this season.

Tina Charles is coming into her own this season.

John Altavilla from the Hartford Courant has some UConn women’s extras from yesterday’s game.

As was announced yesterday, two of the UConn women’s games in Cancun will be broadcast on CPTV. And if you live out of state and want to follow the UConn women, Hoop Streams from CPTV is the perfect place to watch.

Heather Buck will most likely sit out the entire season and redshirt.

Jim Fuller of the New Haven Register spoke with Pittsburgh’s head coach Jamie Dixon about the Maggie Dixon Classic.

The UConn women’s hockey team returned to action with their 5th straight win,  a 3-2 win over Harvard.

UConn men’s soccer player O’Brian White was named to the SCAA/adidas NCAA Division I Men’s All-America Third Team.